OFFtale
by automaton1c
Summary: The Underground and OFF seem like very differing places. So, when the Batter gets pulled into the Underground, things go about as well as can be expected. Also, man, is that title atrocious.
1. Chapter 1

OFF/Undertale

The world of humans is, statistically, pretty boring. Sure, we have wars, technology, Youtube videos of different animal species acting like 'best friends', etc, but when one truly boils it down… we don't have much to offer. Now, it's true that humans could stand to be a bit more interesting; however, the worlds connected to ours couldn't be more fascinating if they tried. There are countless universes directly interacting with our own, but two in particular are extremely linked.

One is directly underneath our feet. This is the Underground.

The other is inside your computer screen. This is OFF.

These two worlds could not be more similar, and more different. The Underground is like home. Even in the biting cold of Snowdin, it has an earthy, familiar vibe. OFF is not. The vibrant colors, lack of nature, and entirely fabricated world cause its residents to be permanently set on edge.

In OFF, there are four Zones. Zone 0 is mainly nothing. It's very small, and holds only a few structures. Its purpose is highly unknown. The only resident of this Zone is a white cat.

Zone 1 is an important Zone. It's solely responsible for four of the five elements in OFF. Smoke creates life-giving air. Metal, which is used for tools, and to create the ground itself. Meat, of course, is used for eating, prompting one to believe that the diets of OFF aren't too diverse. Lastly, plastic, which creates the world's water, as well as more tools. This Zone, and the other three Zones, are populated by Elsen, which are small, timid, easily frightened workers.

Zone 2 is the entertainment Zone. A huge, expansive library fills a good portion of the Zone, filled with books about everything one could desire. Curiously, however, many of the shelves are fake. There is also a shopping mall, where residents can buy anything they want, presuming it's made from metal or plastic. An amusement park would be a fun addition- if Elsen weren't so afraid of the rides. Lastly, a residential location takes up the remaining area, though with a huge library, mall, and amusement park, Elsen don't exactly get much room to grow.

Zone 3 is a confusing Zone to those who aren't privy to what goes on. This Zone manufactures the last, secret element- sugar. Sugar doesn't affect the members of OFF like it does humans. Instead of providing energy or sweetness, sugar is a drug. Elsen, in particular, are susceptible to this addiction. Sugar helps a troubled soul bear reality, and eases their pain, or discomfort. However, when the drug is taken away, the addicted soul can get very, very violent. The entire Zone is dedicated to this. How is sugar produced? The process is simple. The bodies of dead Elsen are burnt in a fire. The remains are used to make sugar.

Each Zone is protected by a Guardian. Zone 0 has the Judge, Zone 1 has Dedan, Zone 2 has Japhet, and Zone 3 has Enoch.

Together, these four Zones are OFF. This is the entire world, the entire universe. Mostly populated by Elsen, the only deviants are the Guardians, specters, monsters, a very mysterious merchant, and-

The Batter.

Our first main character was in Zone 2, stepping off a pedalo. Pedalos are, of course, duck-shaped boats that are used to traverse watery areas. The Batter exited the duck, leaving it to vanish without a trace behind him. Then, he started to walk.

At first glance, it would be obvious that, even though he was shaped like a human, the Batter was not a human being. The way he moved was stiff, automatic, and extremely controlled. One might say robotic, though with the advances in technology, there were probably quite a few robots with an emotional range greater than his.

He was tall, with broad shoulders that tapered to a thin waist. There wasn't an ounce of fat on his body, just muscle and bone. His style of dress was strange, and very unlike any other resident of OFF. He wore a baseball's uniform, complete with a white tunic and pants, black undershirt, athletic shoes, and a baseball cap. This cap cast a shadow over half of his face, leaving only the lower part of his nose and his mouth visible. Curiously, no matter what angle, or in what lighting one saw the Batter, this shadow was always present. His skin was pure, paper white, with no blemishes or scars.

Of course, no baseball uniform was complete without a bat. It was clutched in his left hand, a simple, wooden bat, though in a world entirely without trees, it was questionable where he got it.

It was questionable where he came from in general, in fact. The Batter didn't seem to fit in with OFF at all. The bright, glaring colors and stressfully busy atmosphere bounced off his monochromatic appearance, and left him unscathed.

However, the Batter was not alone. With him were three rings, larger than his head, and silver in color. They seemed to glow with energy and power, and emitted a soft hum. These were add-ons, barely sentient creatures that fought with their current owner. One floated above his head, and the other two hovered over each shoulder, making sure to stay out of his way in the meantime. They were capable of a multitude of attacks, and despite looking rather harmless, should not be taken lightly. Alpha, Omega, and Epsilon were their names, though how they got these names was unclear.

After exiting the pedalo, the Batter and his add-ons headed down a pathway. It seemed as though he had a destination in mind, walking with determined, purposeful steps. He didn't look at the scenery around him, though the bright pink walls weren't too exciting anyway. He just stared forwards, and marched.

Truth be told, nothing interesting happened. OFF was only exciting in certain areas. The other areas were dedicated to work or travel. The path he was currently on was one that connected the library with the shopping mall, and it was a rather narrow path indeed. These Zones were very obviously overcrowded. The number of Elsen was steadily growing, and wasn't going to stop anytime soon. However, all Elsen were male, so… their methods of reproduction weren't exactly clear.

Then, suddenly, something interesting happened. From literally nowhere, three white, floating creatures appeared, hovering menacingly above the Batter. Each had two black eyes and a mouth full of teeth. They were ghosts, that was obvious, and their intentions even more so. The Batter and his add-ons didn't seem fazed. This happened almost obnoxiously often. He simply stepped back, holding his bat in a ready position. The rings' hum turned into a buzz, like angry bees, as they lined up beside him.

The fighting was short. The white-faced man and the add-ons had different attacks they could use, with varying damage. The man swung his bat violently, hitting a spectre squarely. White dots exploded around them, running into the Batter's target again and again. It twisted, shrieked, and… vanished.

The other two ghosts were dealt with by Alpha, Omega, and Epsilon. The Batter chose what attacks they'd do, and obediently, they did it.

It truly was a very simple, routine occasion. A battle that could have been tense and exciting, if the Batter wasn't so… monotone. He showed no emotion during the fight, remaining entirely blank faced.

There had to be something else going on here, something other than a man accompanied by rings, fighting ghosts in a technicolor world.

Correct. But that's an explanation for another time.

The Batter had finally reached his destination, pushing open a door, and stepping into a small shop, followed by his add-ons.

"Zacharie." said the man. His voice was deep, expressionless, and strangely… French accented? How was he French?

The shop was simple, with small crates and bags piled here and there, and a semi-clean countertop off to one side. From behind this counter popped up the second character in this story, Zacharie.

"Oh, buenos dias, my friend. You arrived far quicker than I anticipated. Shame, Batter. You can't get ahead of the script." He was French, too, despite his Spanish greeting.

Zacharie was a far more interesting character than the Batter, by way of appearances, of course. He was short, with an average, perhaps slightly stocky build. Strangely enough, not an inch of uncovered skin could be seen. A cream-colored sweater with a red heart adorned his torso, while black gloves hid his hands. His pants were black, and too short, ending just above the ankles. Bright blue socks were easily seen, which led down to sturdy walking boots.

A mess of black hair was the only thing visibly organic about the merchant. His entire face was covered by a large, white mask. It resembled a frog, with two large black eyes and a strangely downturned mouth. His facial expressions were hidden, but Zacharie had the type of voice that conveyed emotion very well. Normally, he sounded as if he was grinning snarkily, as if he knew some juicy secret. The merchant wasn't a fan of speaking more than he had to. He didn't enjoy blethering on, and usually kept things strictly professional.

"I need supplies." said the Batter, obviously not much of a conversationalist.

Zacharie chuckled. "Of course, my friend. Presuming you have the credits, that is."

Credits were the currency in OFF, and the Batter always seemed to have a great deal of them, which was probably why the merchant liked him so well. It certainly wasn't because of his shining personality.

Leaning against the counter, Zacharie watched his customer browse through the items he had for sale. "Or, perhaps your inventory is getting full? You know I'm always looking to buy."

The Batter ignored him, but his statements were rather odd. Mentioning the 'script' and 'inventory'. What did it mean? Zacharie knew things. He knew many, many things. He knew that their world wasn't what it seemed, in more ways than one. And, he knew that the Batter wasn't what he seemed, again, in more ways than one.

The merchant knew that his monochromatic friend was being controlled by a being known as the Puppeteer. This all-knowing creature used their world as a playground, and had been doing so for as long as OFF had been around. Perhaps they'd even created OFF. They, however, were not a character themselves. They needed a vessel, someone to carry out their biding. So, they'd been assigned to the Batter, to help him carry out his mission.

The Batter, too, knew that he was being controlled, but he didn't seem to care in the slightest. He often introduced himself with a simple, 'My name is the Batter, I'm being led by the Puppeteer'. Nobody besides Zacharie and one other creature truly understood what that meant. Of course, nobody knew what the Puppeteer was. After being introduced to the Batter, the pair were let out at Zone 0. That's all the information anyone had. The Puppeteer couldn't speak or interact with the residents of OFF themselves. However, they could see and hear everything, as well as guide the Batter as if pulling the strings of a puppet, hence the name.

Of course, the Batter still knew what was going on around him, and he was able to control himself, as well. It was a complicated symbiosis, one that Zacharie didn't understand.

Well. It wasn't like he needed to understand. He was just the merchant, after all. The items merchant that every game needed. Because that was all this was, wasn't it? A game. The Puppeteer's game.

"Zacharie."

The Batter's voice cut through his thoughts, and the merchant snapped to attention. "Apologies, amigo. Did you find something you simply couldn't live without?" It was a bit of a pun. Zacharie sold healing items, after all, as any good game merchant should.

"Yes. I need 3 Luck Tickets. And a new bat."

It totaled to 160 credits. The Batter handed over the money, Zacharie handed over the goods, and that was that. No haggling, bargaining, or in-depth conversation. That was how their relationship worked. Both creatures weren't fond of excessive talking, so it was comfortable for them. Of course, one was simply lazy, while the other was little more than a robotic puppet.

"Need anything else?" inquired Zacharie, counting the credits he'd just received. His customer responded in the negative, turned around, and left. Simple. Easy. Same as always.

Except… this time, it wasn't, oddly enough. The Batter and his three add-ons exited through the door they'd entered. Then, from outside, there was a loud, sudden noise. Zacharie had never heard anything like it, and that put him on edge. He knew everything about this world. He'd gone through the exact same story multiple times, sold the same items, had the same conversations, and nothing ever changed. So… He wasn't a fan of this, whatever it was.

What came next, however, was what prompted him to vault over the counter and rush towards the door.

"Unhand me! Unholy spectres, let me go! Release me, I command you!" yelled the Batter, from outside. When Zacharie opened the door and peeked out, he spotted something rather odd. His blank-faced customer was currently being… stolen? Stolen seemed like an appropriate word. A portal had opened up, directly in the middle of the walkway. From this portal, strange mist was curling outwards, wrapping around the Batter, and pulling him in.

There was a certain smell in the air, something Zacharie had never experienced before. The smell of water. Pure, fresh water, untainted by plastic or meat. It was almost sweet, a smell that nearly made the merchant want to follow his customer into the portal. A gentle sound accompanied the scent, like a musical tinkling.

The brief moment of tranquility only lasted for a moment, however. Then, the stillness was shattered. The misty fingers suddenly turned solid, grabbing the Batter around his waist, and harshly yanking him into the portal. The add-ons, ever the faithful companions, followed dutifully, not knowing or caring what they were getting themselves into.

The entire thing was over in a few seconds. One moment, the Batter was there, and the next, he'd been violently kidnapped by a large tear in reality.

As soon as it had appeared, the portal vanished, closing in on itself within a few milliseconds.

Zacharie stood in the entrance to his shop, staring in bewilderment, his shock evident even though his face wasn't visible. Nothing truly surprised him anymore, so this was new.

Slowly, he turned his face towards the sky, the scent of fresh water still lingering in the air.

"…That wasn't in the script."


	2. Chapter 2

The Underground never changed. Things always stayed the same. It was a dependable kind of monotony, a stable life for its residents. Perhaps the younger members wished for change, for some kind of excitement, but they hardly ever got it.

Truly, the most exciting thing about the Underground was what it lacked.

Humans did not inhabit the cave. There were no people wandering the streets, nor children playing in front yards. Instead, the land was populated by monsters.

Not horrific, deadly, frightening creatures of legend and bedtime stories. In fact, most of them were quite nice, and were good friends to keep around. They were simply… different than human beings. Each of them was unique, sometimes in shockingly drastic ways. There were slime monsters, fish monsters, fire monsters, skeleton monsters, and countless others, all living in harmony underneath the human world.

Many years ago, however, they lived aboveground, mingling with people and enjoying the sunshine. Then, war broke out. The Great War, as it was creatively titled, pitted monster against human in a ferocious, long-lasting battle.

In the end, humankind won out, and forced the monsters underground. There, they found solitude in a giant cave, and began to form a life for themselves.

In the cave, six separate regions formed. Similar to OFF's Zones, but far more diverse, these regions provide homes to the monsters of the Underground.

The Ruins is quite a mysterious place. It's full of purple halls, peculiar holes in the floor, and spikes. The Ruins is one of the less populated regions, with only a few types of monsters living there. It's a bit of a claustrophobic area, and is currently inaccessible by outside monsters.

Snowdin is a lively region, and as the name implies, is covered in snow. There is quite a variety of monsters here, from sentient rocks, to bunnies, to bartending flames. Snowdin provides a cheery, warm atmosphere, despite the frigid climate.

If one is going to Waterfall, they'll want to bring an umbrella. This cool, peaceful area is rich with waterfalls, pools, and rivers. It's a very wet environment, full of flora and life. Waterfall emits a calming, soothing vibe, which may be worth getting water in one's boots.

Hotland is Snowdin's polar opposite. This is considered a dangerous region, and for good reason. Lava bubbles far below tall pillars of land, and large elevators are often the only way to get around. Understandably, there are many different types of fire monsters here, as this region is definitely not for every monster.

The last two regions are the Core and the Capitol. Both places are a stark contrast to the rest of the Underground. These places are the technological hotspots of the cavern, an almost metropolis area that is preferred by many, and shunned by some. The Capitol, also called New Home, is where the ruler of the Underground resides, King Asgore Dreamurr.

Together, these six regions make up the Underground. A place only populated by monsters, and monsterkind.

There was only one exception.

In Waterfall, the air was as calm and cool as ever. A gentle melody hung in the air, an odd sort of tinkling that was pleasant to the ears. Blue flowers crowded the pathways, and babbling creeks rushed through the dark grass.

Walking down one of these paths, being careful not to trod on any plants, was a human being.

Their name was Frisk, and they were not dressed warm enough for this region. Having just been in Snowdin, however, Waterfall felt quite balmy.

Frisk was just a child, perhaps 9 or 10. They were short and lean, with tan skin and dark brown hair. Their eyes were dark, as well, and constantly flicking around their surroundings. Androgynous features were set in a round face, with a determined expression written across them. The human's dress style was a bit curious, as they wore a striped sweater and blue shorts.

They seemed to be comfortable in Waterfall, not minding the moisture in the air, or the squelch of their feet underneath them. Also, their gait was direct, as if they knew exactly where they were going. However, they wouldn't get too far.

From behind them, a golden flower popped out of the ground.

"Frisk!" said Flowey, urgency in his tone.

The human whipped around, looking confused and, for a brief moment, afraid. And with good reason. Flowey never interacted with them in Waterfall. He was breaking the rules.

"Flowey?" they inquired. They had a soft voice, like they were perpetually trying to calm down a panicked animal. "What are-"

"Frisk, listen, there's no time for questions. I was in the Ruins, where you fell, and there's…" The flower's leaves trembled. "There's another human down here."

The child's eyes widened, and they put a hand over their mouth. "A… what? Flowey, are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" he snapped. "I know what a human looks like! This one's big, and it's got three floating rings with it. I don't know what it wants, or what it's doing down here, but it isn't _supposed_ to be here! Frisk, we need to do something."

At face value, it might've seemed odd, Flowey and Frisk working together. The antagonist and the protagonist, right? Truly, though, neither creature harbored true ill-will towards one another. They knew each other better than anyone else, and they knew each other's true persona. Flowey depended on Frisk, and Frisk empathized with Flowey. They needed each other, as strange as it sounded.

"Okay." Frisk said, radiating determination. "How about we-"

"Wait." the flower interrupted. "There's… one more thing." His tone had dropped, quieter now, scared almost. At his core, Flowey was a coward. "This new human, it's… it's empty. I can tell. Like me. Or like… _them_."

Frisk didn't need to ask what he meant. Them. _Chara._ If this new human reminded him of Chara… things could end badly. Still, the child's attitude didn't change. If there was one thing they learned from the Underground, it was to not judge a book by its cover. They'd give this new person the benefit of the doubt. And, truthfully, they were excited. Ecstatic almost. One couldn't blame them. This would be the first human being they'd seen since falling down here. Another human? The idea was enthralling. What would they be like?

In their thoughts, Frisk had tuned Flowey out, and blinked back to the present, realizing that the flower was speaking.

"…And then we can round up some of your _friends,_ the fish and the scientist and Smiley Trashbag and the rest. With all of us combined, we can _definitely-_ "

"Flowey, we're not going to attack this person! We're in the middle of a Pacifist run, and I'm not gonna abandon it." Frisk admonished, crossing their arms. "We're going to go to the Ruins and _talk_ to the human."

The flower scowled, obviously displeased. Frisk was being ridiculous. This new human was dangerous! It could have the ability to destroy their entire world! There had never been more than one human in the Underground at one time. Who knew what this was doing to the timelines? He had to convince Frisk to either let _him_ deal with this human, or gather up their _friends_ and have them help out. They could reset afterwards. But how to do it?

After a pause, Flowey smirked. "The human's in the Ruins, Frisk."

"I know, Flowey, we just-"

"How are you planning on _getting there?_ Do you think _Toriel_ is going to let you in? No. The door's closed! We both know that. So, what's your plan?"

Frisk was silent for a moment, leading Flowey to believe that he'd bested the child. Then, a smile spread across the human's face, and they leaned towards him.

" _You're_ gonna take me there!"

The Batter awoke with a sharp inhale, body twitching slightly. He blinked open his eyes, causing his vision to waver, and then steady. For a moment, he was still, assessing the potential damage done to his body. Surprisingly, he was in no pain. In fact, he felt… lighter than usual.

Only then did he take in his surroundings.

Sitting up, he gazed around, face as blank as always. He was in a large dome-like room, surrounded by gray walls. These walls were irregular. Whoever manufactured them should have been fired.

In reality, the Batter was in a large cavern, the same cavern that Frisk had originally fallen into. However, OFF had nothing as natural as this place. So, he simply processed the area the only way he knew how.

The floor underneath him was peculiar. It wasn't hard, but… soft. Springy. It was covered in small… fibers. Like… plastic? It was predominately green, a milder green than he was used to, though the floor directly below him was yellow, the fibers splitting off at the top, and forming slightly larger stalks.

The Batter was definitely out of his element.

A humming sound caught his attention, and he looked up. Alpha, Omega, and Epsilon were floating above him, like vultures over roadkill. For featureless circles, they seemed quite concerned.

The man pushed himself off the ground, finding his footing easily. He found that his bat was in his hand, just as it always was. The long piece of wood gave him a feeling similar to comfort. Adjusting his hat, he made sure he was in order, before considering his next move.

 _Considering his next move._

He was _considering. He_ was considering.

Why did that seem unnatural?

Something was different here. He couldn't put his finger on it, which bugged him even more. Before he could ponder on it further, a voice sounded behind him. A female voice, gentler than any others he'd ever heard.

"Hello? Are you alright?"

The Batter whipped around to face her, and received a shocked gasp in return.

He wasn't entirely sure _what_ he was looking at. The creature was tall, white, and wore purple robes. It- she?- had a long face, with dropping ears and short horns. Currently, her eyes were wide, pupils small, hands over her open mouth.

"Um- O- Oh, forgive me, dear, you… are you a _human?_ "

The Batter made no response.

… _Purify._

The urge hit him suddenly, like a freight train. All at once, he could feel her sins, everything she'd ever done wrong, mingling together inside of his mind. This was a familiar feeling. What was strange was how long it took to affect him. Normally, he felt it constantly, during every waking moment.

However, when he'd first woken up… it hadn't been present.

He couldn't dwell on that.

His hand twitched, gripping his bat a bit harder. His add-ons hummed.

 _Purify._

The creature before him, consumed with shock, didn't seem to notice. In fact, she didn't appear to process that he hadn't replied, either. She just shook her head, staring blankly at him. She was very confused. The monster remembered all the humans that had fallen down. The children. Frisk was the latest one, but… thinking about _them_ pained her very Soul.

A human like _this_ , however, had never arrived in the Underground. This one was big, with strange rings and a wooden plank. Perhaps… Perhaps he was sent here? The thought made her heart leap. Perhaps the humans had sent him as a… peace envoy?

"My name is Toriel." she said, with a warm smile. "I was just passing by, as I often do, to see if any humans had fallen down here. Are you alright? I live just this way, if you'd like to-…"

She kept talking, but it fell on deaf ears. The Batter wasn't listening. She'd turned around, gesturing towards the direction of her home.

He couldn't take it any longer. Brandishing his bat, he swung it over his head, preparing to bring it down on the creature.

 _Purify. Purify. Purify. It was his duty. It was the right thing to do. It was his goal, his mission, his divine purpose, his-_

Just as he was about to crush Toriel's head, a thick green vine came out of nowhere, wrapping around the bat, and yanking it downwards. He kept a firm hold on his weapon, but the trajectory was entirely thrown off.

Adopting a more battle-ready stance, he turned quickly, coming face to face with Frisk.

The child had their arms thrown out, wearing a scared expression. Flowey had just vanished into the ground, leaving them alone with Toriel and the new human.

The goat-woman, having heard some commotion, had turned back around. The poor ex-queen was thrown for yet another loop. Frisk, who she'd tearfully banished from the Ruins, was now standing before her.

"…My child…? What are… What is going on?"

Her eyes flicked from the new human to Frisk, unsure of which to focus on.

Frisk wasn't quite sure how to handle this situation. They hadn't planned for Toriel to be here. For now, they couldn't focus on their goat-mom. This new human, here in the flesh, was their current goal.

"…Hi, there. My name is Frisk. I'm a human, just like you. Um. I know you're probably a little confused, but I want to help you. What's your name?" they said hopefully, taking in this person's strange appearance. He was quite odd, whoever he was. Obviously an adult. Very, very pale. And those mysterious rings were curious, too.

The Batter, as one could imagine, was going through an internal struggle. Now that he wasn't in the process of purification, he found himself… uninterested in making another attempt. His victim was directly behind him, and still as impure as ever. The man could almost _taste_ the imperfection. But… it wasn't an overwhelming _need._ It was more of a _want._ The Batter had never _wanted_ anything before.

The silence stretched on, and just as Frisk was considering restating their question, he spoke.

"I am the Batter."

The child thought about offering their hand to shake, but decided against it. "The Batter? That's a… weird name. I guess I can't say anything, huh?" A joke? Sort of. The alabaster man didn't react to it.

"Um," continued the child. "Anyway, you're in the Underground. It's right below where you come from, and where I came from. You know, the human world. It-"

"I am from OFF."

"…What?"

"I come from OFF."

Frisk… wasn't sure how to respond. Maybe it was a city? A region? They decided to continue onwards, this time addressing Toriel.

"Mom, do you think we could go Home? I think it'll be easier to talk there."

Toriel was… obviously quite lost. But, she'd been a queen. A queen didn't lose her composure. So, she put on a smile, and nodded.

"Certainly, my child. Mr. Batter, do you care for pie?"

"No."

"…Ah."


	3. Chapter 3

Zacharie was panicked.

It was a new feeling for him, or at least one he hadn't felt in quite some time. His opinion of it was poor. As a merchant who knew everything, had done everything, and had seen everything, this fish-out-of-water business wasn't his style.

After the Batter had vanished out of thin air, he'd taken a moment to… process what had just happened. Underneath his mask, he stared, and eventually blinked.

Alright. This wasn't good.

Then, he'd rushed back inside his store, grabbing things seemingly at random, before throwing on his backpack and rushing right back out of his store.

He hadn't locked the door. Damn.

Oh, well. It wasn't like any Elsen would be brave enough to try and break into his shop, anyway. Or even… go into it. Normally, his Elsen customers were just those he found on the street, and was able to talk/coerce/blackmail them into buying something.

Currently, he was on his hurried way to one of his least favorite places, Zone 0. Normally, Zone 0 was devoid of all life, except for its Guardian. However, Zacharie was a merchant. He needed to be everywhere. Beyond that, he was one of the only beings in OFF that understood the workings inside and out.

He knew how to get into the Nothingness, and how to use it.

There were only two other beings that possessed this power. One was the Batter, who was currently… indisposed. The other was exactly who Zacharie was going to see.

He needed help, help from someone who knew OFF like he did.

As soon as the blackness faded away, and his boots sturdily touched down, the merchant was off, striding across the hard ground of Zone 0.

The entire place was a harsh shade of yellow, the liquid beneath it white and frothing. The other Zones were bad enough. How could anyone live here?

Looking around, he saw no signs of life, so Zacharie made his way to Joas, the large building that made up the majority of the Zone.

Cupping his hands in front of his mask, he called, his voice echoing strangely.

"Judge? Judge, amigo, where are you? Pablo? I know you're around here."

Silence. No answer. Damn that cat. He just _had_ to be difficult. Approaching the building, Zacharie poked his head inside, scanning the spacious room. Nothing.

Only when he was about to step inside did he hear a telltale purr behind him.

"Greetings, dearest friend. It is splendid to be in your company once more."

The merchant turned, and was faced with a small, white cat. The Judge was a talking feline, with a lean body and a wide, fanged grin. Currently, he was seated comfortably before Zacharie, curling his tail around his paws, flicking the tip of it intermittently. Perhaps he sensed the rushed panic in the air, or perhaps he simply read the merchant's body language. Either way, the Judge tipped his head curiously, and spoke before Zacharie could get a word in.

"Forgive me for making wild assumptions, but you seem to be quite unnerved, which is rather unusual for a collected tradesperson such as yourself. Has something gone awry? Perhaps-"

Zacharie waved his hands slightly, cutting the cat off. "Pablo, listen. I need your help."

The Judge narrowed his eyes, one ear twitching. He disliked being interrupted. Still, he nodded. "How can I be of service to you?"

"We need to help the Batter." said the merchant, and might've said more, if he hadn't realized just how crazy that sounded. The bizarre nature of his mission started to settle in.

Help the Batter?

Help the creature that was slowly destroying their world? The one who would, in the end, pull the switch?

Yes, Zacharie knew how the game ended. The Judge did, too. The cat's ears folded back.

"I'm sure I misheard you, Zacharie. Is our mutual contact in some form of peril?" he questioned, getting to his paws.

Zacharie sighed. This wasn't a good idea, was it? Why would they want to rescue the monster responsible for all this carnage? Zones were left entirely empty because of the Batter.

Still, the merchant knew, deep down, that he needed to at least _try._ Perhaps not out of any emotional attachment to the Batter, but because, as strange as it sounded, OFF needed him.

"I think so. He'd just left my shop, and he seemed to… get pulled through a type of portal. He vanished." Zacharie reported, scratching the back of his head. "I dunno where he went, or what happened to him."

The Judge was quiet for a moment, as if waiting for more information. When none came, he started to pace.

"A portal? That is quite peculiar. Portals do not normally show up around this vicinity. In fact, they are rather atypical. You say you do not know where he ended up?"

"Nope."

"In that case, dear vendor, I am afraid there isn't much we can do for our stoic acquaintance. A troubling thought, yes, but I believe that-"

"Wait." Zacharie interrupted, again. "There was something. A… scent."

"A scent?"

"Yes. And a sound. It smelled like… freshness. And there was a tinkling, musical, almost…" He shrugged. "It could have been nothing. But that's all I have… Pablo?" His feline friend had narrowed his eyes, staring hard at the merchant. The cat was lost in thought. "Judge? Hello?"

"A melodious tune… would it perhaps resemble a music box?"

"Now that I think about it… It did. D'you know where he is?"

"I… may." The Judge looked a bit nervous, almost reluctant. "Another realm, another plane of existence to which I have traveled a number of times. However, it has been an eternity since I last visited."

The vendor knew he had a billion other questions to ask, but instead he settled on, "You've been to other universes?"

The cat scoffed in a slightly condescending manner. "Of course, Zacharie. Forgive me, but not everyone is contented with the garish enclosure of OFF. No, I have certainly explored other universes, however, I am always anchored back here, for better or for worse."

Zacharie shrugged. He'd never tried to stray from OFF. Was he content? He wouldn't go that far. Instead, he was… lethargic. At this point, he'd given up trying to change anything. There was absolutely no point.

"Can you help me get to the Batter?" he asked, ignoring the feline's obvious desire to discuss his travelings.

A pause. Then, hesitantly, "I can, yes, but…"

"Let's get going, then. Can't have my main customer away for too long." Zacharie quipped, walking past the Judge, and beginning to head away from Joas.

"I will not." the Judge finished.

The vender turned sharply. "What?"

The world-traveling cat approached slowly, with all the lazy grace of a feline. "I have all the abilities to aid you, Zacharie, but I refuse. I will not allow the Batter to return to OFF. Perhaps- as naïve as it sounds- this is fate. Something has snatched the monochromic monster away from our world, and with him, the rest of the inhabitants of OFF may live another day."

It was rare to see the Judge taking such an active stance on anything. He was often a neutral character, preferring to keep his opinions to himself. The cat had to be quite serious about this, then.

"Pablo, we need him."

"Need him? Zacharie, I find your ideals to be quite irrational and counter-productive. The Batter directly causes the death of multiple close compatriots, such as my brother, Valerie, and Sucre. Bringing that creature back only solidifies their deaths."

Zacharie folded his arms across his chest loosely. He knew, and understood, where the Judge was coming from. But for once, the cat was allowing his emotions to cloud his judgement.

"He's the main character. The controllable character." Pablo opened his mouth to protest, and Zacharie held up a hand to cut him off. "I'm not saying he's the protagonist. He's not. This is all just a game, Pablo."

"Do you forget that you, too, live in this game?"

"No, but I know I'm safe. He can't kill me. You, he can, but only half the time. If he's gone, what's the Puppeteer going to do? What're they doing right now? Who's to say they didn't put together this whole damn thing? And-…" He stopped. Another thought had struck him. The Judge tipped his head, questioning silently.

Zacharie ran his hands over his mask. "This other world he's in, who knows what he's doing to it? He purifies. That world's probably just as 'impure' as ours is. They don't know what they're up against."

It was the most he'd said in a while, and his little speech was tiring him out. He took a breath, trying to calm down. "Are you going to help me?"

The cat lifted his chin. "I will not accompany you to this world."

Before the merchant could voice his frustrations, Pablo continued.

"However, I will explain to you how to get from this world, to theirs. Everything you do after that, whether you succeed or fail, is entirely up to you, vendor. Is that agreeable?"

Zacharie took a moment to consider. Then, slowly, he removed his backpack and sat down on the ground. Crossing his legs, he rested his elbows on his legs, and his chin in his hands. He nodded.

The feline returned the gesture.

"Now, make sure to listen closely, for I will not repeat this twice…"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. I'm still in high school, and have multiple jobs, so things have gotten a bit busy. Critiques and comments are welcome.**

* * *

"So… what's OFF?"

They were seated around Toriel's rarely used dining room table, an air of mild discomfort surrounding them. Frisk had a slice of pie before them, though truly, they'd just taken it out of politeness. They knew that when Toriel got stressed, she liked to keep her hands busy.

The Batter sat, his back straight as a board, at the end of the table. Both feet were planted firmly on the ground, both hands resting on his knees. His bat was leaned against the table before him, easily within reach. Alpha, Omega, and Epsilon hovered over his shoulders. Frisk wasn't sure if it would be rude to ask them to leave.

He wore his hat in the house, which Toriel normally would've taken a firm stance against, but she supposed she could let it slide, just this once.

"OFF is where I live." came the reply. Frisk sighed. They should have expected that answer.

"Yes, dear, but… what is it? Where is it? The Underground certainly doesn't have a district named OFF." Toriel inquired, touching her jaw thoughtfully. The goat-woman was taking all of this rather well, though Frisk suspected she was more confused than she was letting on.

The Batter was silent. He was… pondering. If he'd been a more emotional person- or even an emotional person _at all_ \- he would be very lost, and very afraid. However, the Batter was none of those things. He was treating this like a puzzle. How was he going to solve it?

The two creatures before him, he learned, were Toriel and Frisk. Frisk resembled him in quite a few ways. Toriel did not. Oddly enough, they'd never heard of OFF before.

"Where am I?" he asked, entirely ignoring their own questions.

The woman and the child shared a glance. Frisk answered.

"You're in the Underground. It's underneath the human world. That's where you're from, right? You fell Down?" They were prodding him, trying to get information as casually as possible.

"I fell nowhere. I came through a portal."

Toriel tilted her head. "A portal? So you… are not from the human world."

"I told you. I am from OFF."

Frisk took a frustrated bite of pie. This was getting them nowhere. This man, whoever he was, wasn't being too cooperative. Didn't he see they were trying to help them? Though, his answers felt less like willfully being obnoxious, and more like something he couldn't help. Well, no matter. Frisk had dealt with plenty of less-than-helpful monsters, they could definitely deal with this.

"So, you aren't from the Underground, and you… aren't from above? That must mean you're…" Frisk trailed off, twirling the fork around their fingers. All at once, it hit them. It was a good thing they'd swallowed, or else they might've choked. "You're from _another_ world?"

The Batter wasn't sure why this child was acting so startled. Yes, obviously. The place he was currently in, and the other place they spoke of, they weren't OFF. Therefore, he must have been from somewhere else. Why was this such a revelation to them?

"Yes."

"Holy shi…" They trailed off, with a glance at Toriel. "Uh, wow! I think… we should probably talk to Alphys. She might be able to figure out a way to get you home. You… do want to go home, right?"

"Yes."

Toriel folded her hands on her lap. "I believe that's a good idea, my child. This seems to be quite a mess. Are you planning on taking our… _guest_ with you?" The woman shifted her eyes towards the Batter, with her trademark gentle smile.

The human pondered, before shaking their head. "No, probably not. He's a human, and, uh, the monsters down here have just gotten used to me… I'll ask Alphys to come with me and look at-…" They paused once more, and furrowed their eyebrows. " _Are_ you a human?"

The Batter said nothing. The silence stretched for an uncomfortably long amount of time, all three creatures staring at one another. All was quiet, except for the humming of the add-ons.

Finally, Toriel spoke.

"So, where do you think Mr. Batter is going to stay, dear?" she asked the child. Frisk looked up at her. They knew that, if asked, Toriel would provide a place for the Batter to stay. But… she was also clearly confused, and perhaps a little frazzled. Besides, Frisk had a better idea.

"Don't worry, Mom. I've got a place in mind."

* * *

"i dunno about this, kid."

They were standing in the home of the skeleton brothers, Sans and Papyrus. Upon entering, Frisk had quickly shut the door behind them, to block out the frigid Snowdin weather. The Batter stood behind the child, seemingly uninterested in the discussion. His add-ons hummed peacefully. Truthfully, the bright, colorful world of the Underground was overwhelming him just a tad.

Of course, 'bright' had a very different meaning when one was comparing OFF and the Underground. OFF was garishly bright, and almost hard to look at. It was neon in color- except when it wasn't. On the contrary, the Underground's colors were more subdued. It was the action, the hustle-and-bustle, the homely feeling that was affecting the Batter.

Now, however, he was faced with two new characters. The taller one was, quite possibly, one of the most pure beings he'd come across in a long while. Nobody was without faults, but this one was… it practically radiated good intentions. The shorter one, though… if they'd been in OFF, the Batter would have purified that one in a second. It was noticeably impure, and on instinct, the hand gripping his bat twitched.

"Trust me, Sans, it'll just be for a bit. Batter's not that bad. Right, Batter?" They turned to the pale man, who, predictably, gave no response. The silence stretched on for a few awkward seconds, before Frisk gave up.

"He seems nice!" Papyrus agreed. "Wowie, I've never seen a monster that looks so much like a human before! Funny how I've never heard of them until now!"

Since they couldn't have Papyrus trying to 'capture' the Batter, Frisk simply told him that the man was a monster. Which wasn't true, the Batter was a human being.

…Right?

Frisk did feel a bit bad lying to their friend, but they also knew that an altercation between Papyrus and the Batter would probably end poorly.

"He just needs to stay here until I can talk to Dr. Alphys. She's gonna come down here and take a look at him and try to figure out where he came from, and, uh… everything else. Please, Sans?" Frisk begged.

The short skeleton folded his arms. "why can't you just bring him up to Al's?"

"I don't want to risk walking him through all those monsters, getting here was hard enough. He's a-" The child glanced at Papyrus. "I mean, he looks enough like a human that, y'know, it could mean trouble. And you know how Dr. Alphys gets about strangers in her lab. I just hope she's there, and not out with Undyne…" They trailed off for a moment, before shaking their head. "C'mon, Sans, the faster I get out of here, the faster I can get back!"

He still wasn't convinced. Still, Frisk had a point. The faster they left, the faster they could get this weirdo out of the Underground. "alright, Frisk. hurry up. if Al says no, i know a shortcut me and this, uh… Batter can take to her lab."

Papyrus practically jumped for joy. "Hooray! It's always nice to have new guests. I just wish _Sans_ would have cleaned up a bit more. Oh, well! Mr. Batter, sir, may I take you on a tour of the house? You'll have to watch out for a small white dog… not sure how it keeps getting in here…"

It was hard to resist a grin that sunny. Frisk looked up at the man uneasily, wondering what his response would be.

"Are there any specters in your home?"

Papyrus and Sans shared a glance. "Well! Sometimes, when Napstablook comes to visit. At the moment, though, our house is specter-free!"

The Batter seemed to accept his defeat. There was no way out of this. "You may give me a tour."

The tall skeleton beamed. "Excellent! Right this way, sir, and the Great Papyrus will show you around his humble abode!" With that, he marched into the kitchen.

As the Batter followed, his add-ons trailing behind, Frisk and Sans watched, a little uneasy with the idea of the two being alone together. Still, now it meant they could talk freely.

"kid, this guy gives me a bad feeling. i don't like it. this kinda thing's never happened before."

"I know, which is why I want to get it fixed as soon as possible. I'm worried about how this'll affect the timelines. Do you think it will?" Frisk replied, voice soft.

"hard to tell. better not take chances. hurry up and get Al back here. and, uh. be safe." Sans said.

The human nodded, called a good-bye to Papyrus and the Batter, then darted out the door, and into the snow.


End file.
